A Farmhouse Maternity Session: The Denlinger Family

I got to take maternity photos for the Denlinger family (Todd, Mandi, Mason, Bailey, Kaylynn, Cooper & baby to be) on their farm for them. It was so cool to see them all in their element, the kids being so familiar with their setting, playing and showing me around. I am so excited for them as they prepare to welcome their fifth little one. Their oldest four were just precious, so sweet and smiley and cooperative. They are an awesome family and it was my privilege to work with them and see the amazing way they parent and interact with their kids. But even more than that it was really refreshing to me to be in a place where hard work and a close family are the way of life. Being outdoors, seeing their lifestyle and livelihood, the big old farm house, the out buildings, the amish washline and the chickens roaming the yard... It was simply good for the soul.

  The story of how this photo shoot came to be is so fun to me. Shaun and Todd were friends in highschool but I didn't meet Todd and Mandi until we ran into them in target on my birthday a year and a half ago. I was in the very early stages of my pregnancy with Jaden and not feeling too well, but it was so cool to me to see them out and about with their four little ones together. I remember it making me really excited to keep adding to our family. Anyway Mandi and I became friends on facebook and it has been really fun keeping in touch and getting to know each other a bit through that. So when she asked me if I'd be interested in doing maternity photos for them I was thrilled!! 

 Ok, ok, I'll stop talking now and go ahead and show you my favorites from this farmhouse maternity session :) 

These few were just candids of the kids playing on their swing set between poses. 

Love these in front of the snowball bush, the first smiley and posed, the second goofy and fun :) 

The girls:

And then one of Todd with Mason, and one with Cooper.

A hay wagon & a clothesline :) 

These were two of my favorites of just Todd and Mandi

Baby kitties!!!

Heading down to the cow pasture and the creek :) 

I love the one little eye peeking back up at me in the bottom of this photo :) 

The one below is my favorite "posed" image from the evening.

We ended with some pictures of everyone splashing in the creek.

Sisters, timidly testing the water before wading in :)

The sun setting as we wrapped up. 

"Every so often, go where you can hear a wooden screen door slam shut" (source unknown)

Thank you guys for inviting me to your home and trusting me with these photos. I hope they are a source of joy for years to come and I wish you all the best with your new little one!! Can't wait to find out if it's a baby boy or baby girl!! :) 

Bronson: Senior Photos

I got to take senior portraits for Bronson at the end of last week and had a BLAST. Seriously. Seems I mostly take senior portraits for guys, and I love proving that you can be just as creative with a guy's photos as you can with a girl's. 

We are in church leadership with Bronson's parents, Larry & Nora, and serving with them is such a privilege. They are so solid, full of love, ready to put the work in wherever it needs done... I love their family so much.

Bronson is their youngest, and he has such a steadfast presence of peace and creativity and a genuine spirit that just brings a quiet joy wherever he goes. He plays on the worship team at our church and I cannot even describe to you the maturity of his heart and the atmosphere he creates when he is worshipping. It is awesome. 

He was so easy to work with, pretty much always a step ahead of me and not only willing but excited to go with any idea I had. His sister Kelsey was along too and her creative input was amazing! (Kelsey, you are welcome to come along on my shoots any day!!)

We started on some train tracks (love that there was a train in the background!) and took some of Bronson with his bass, and some of him by himself. I am so in love with how these came out... the lighting was creamy and perfect, it was pretty much impossible to take a bad picture! These were my favs, but there were so many more!

After we were finished on the tracks we walked around the town to see what we could find. I loved the light spilling in behind the town clock in these... :) 

And the wording on this building was too perfect not to stop here for some too :)

A cool red door? Yes, please!

And the lighting against this brick backdrop was perfection too... Love these!

Once the sun was just a tad lower we went out on the docks by the water for a final few. The one below is probably my favorite from the whole shoot. But it's awfully hard to choose. 

And that wraps it up! If you know any one else looking for senior photos, feel free to send them my way :) And Nora, thank you so much for trusting me with his photos, I hope you love the end result! I had so much fun walking around, talking and taking pictures with you guys last Thursday. Love you all so much!